Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has criticised the Senate for rejecting the sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had alleged that her challenges in the Senate began after she rejected Akpabio’s advances. She formally submitted a petition on the Senate floor, but the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions dismissed it, citing procedural breaches.
Reacting via her X page, Ezekwesili condemned the Senate’s decision, stating that the allegations should not be brushed aside. She insisted that the matter must be addressed through a transparent public hearing, free from Akpabio’s influence.
“Our National Assembly belongs to the Nigerian people, not politicians of any status,” she wrote. “Dismissing serious allegations against the Senate President is a democratic aberration. It cannot stand.”
Ezekwesili described Akpabio’s role in presiding over discussions about his own case as a stain on the Senate’s integrity. She urged lawmakers to uphold transparency and allow the petition to be heard properly.
Meanwhile, Akpoti-Uduaghan resubmitted her petition during Thursday’s plenary. However, the Ethics Committee later recommended her six-month suspension, citing misconduct linked to a previous confrontation with Akpabio over seating arrangements.